General Election '94 Voter Guide

Published by the LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF MINNESOTA EDUCATION FUND

Copyright 1994 League of Women Voters of Minnesota Education Fund

Governor and Lt. Governor

The Governor is elected for a 4-year term. The person must be 25 years old, a resident of the state for one year, a citizen of the United States and elected by the people. Salary: $109,053

Governor
JOHN MARTY
Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Age:

37

Residence:

Roseville

Occupation:

State Senator Education: Graduate of St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN, degree in Ethics and Society

Experience:

Eight years in Minnesota Senate; former grant administrator for Minneapolis corporate foundation; former researcher and administrator for Minnesota House of Representatives.

Priorities if elected:

First, we must make our economic system more fair. This means taxes based on one's ability to pay and jobs that pay a decent wage. Second, we must begin investing in Minnesota's future so that we prevent the problems that drive government spending. This will yield long-term savings to taxpayers. Third, we must restore trust in government by reducing the influence of wealthy interests in government.

Governor
ARNE CARLSON
Independent-Republican

Age:

59

Residence:

St. Paul

Occupation:

Minnesota Governor Education: Carlson received scholarship to Choate School. Later, on scholarship, earned bachelor's degree from Williams College, Massachusetts.

Experience:

Former city councilman, legislator, state auditor. Carlson transformed an inherited $2 billion deficit into a $623 million surplus and signed a tax-cut bill in 1994.

Priorities if elected:

1. Fight to control government spending by setting priorities, making tough choices and long-term planning.
2. Create world-class education system from early learning through apprenticeship and higher education. Set high, measurable academ ic standards and hold schools accountable for results.
3. Reform welfare system that undermines work and families.
4. Reform a costly worker's compensation system that drives employers out of Minnesota.

Governor
WILL SHETTERLY
Grassroots

Age:

39

Residence:

Minneapolis

Occupation:

Writer, editor Education: B.A., Eng. Lit., Beloit College, 1976

Experience:

Self-employed Minnesota resident since 1980. Winner of 1992 Minnesota Book Award for Fantasy and Science Fiction. Husband, home-owner and proud American.

Priorities if elected:

A privacy amendment to the state constitution will guarantee the right of all Minnesotans to do as they choose, so long as they don't inhibit the rights of others. Each year, the state will save millions of dollars that are currently spent prosecuting consensual activities and will earn additional millions in new tax dollars.

Governor ERIC OLSON Libertarian

Age:

31

Residence:

Minneapolis

Occupation:

Independent Insurance Agent Education: B.S. in Business Administration, Mankato State (1985 cum laude); U.S. Army Reserves 1981-87, honorably discharged.

Experience:

Five years self employment. Prior work in accounting and property management. Active in Armatage Neighborhood Community Association. Hugh O'Brian Youth Foundation volunteer. Army Commendation Award.

Priorities if elected:

I will work to restore individual rights and foster self-reliance. I support cutting taxes and spending, gi ving parents choice in education, and focusing law-enforcement on violent crime. I also support choice in health care: tax-deductible medical savings accounts, repeal of mandated benefits, and deregulation of alternative medical practice.

Governor
LESLIE DAVIS
Nutritional Rights Alliance

Age:

57

Residence:

Minneapolis

Occupation:

President, Earth Protector, Inc. Education: High School graduate

Experience:

After an honorable discharge from the Army, I worked in my father's New York garment center factory where I learned production, purchasing, marketing, sales and worker relations. In 1962, I moved to Minnesota to sell women's apparel to retail stores. In 1982, I founded Earth Protector, Inc., an environmental watchdog group, in order to participate in government decision making regarding pollution permits and to educate students and business on why and how to protect the Earth.

Priorities if elected:

Reduce pollution, protect health, improve nutrition, prevent crime, support education and increase jobs.

Governor
JON HILLSON
Socialist Workers

Age:

44

Residence:

St. Paul

Occupation:

Railroad Switchman Education: H.S. graduate; attended University of Colorado; Boston State College

Experience:

Participant in social protests since 1965, including anti-Vietnam war, civil rights, Boston desegregation struggle; Twin Cities abortion clinic escort and defense activist; challenged U.S. ban on travel to Cuba, 1994; union activist, on strike against CP-Soo Line since July 14. Author, Battle of Boston (1977); contributor to the Militant newspaper.

Priorities if elected:

Support all struggles to defend rights and interests of working people in U.S. and around the world to help prepare way for development of mass, revolutionary movement to establish workers and farmers government and end rule of big business and corporate super rich.

The Lieutenant Governor is elected for a 4-year term. The person must be 25 years old, a resident of the state for one year, a citizen of the United States and elected by the people jointly with the Governor by a single vote applying to both offices. Salary: $59,981

Lt. Governor
NANCY LARSON
Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Age:

52

Residence:

Dassel

Occupation:

Exec. Dir., MN. Assoc. of Small Cities Education: B.S. degree, St. Cloud State University, 1988, Political Science/Mass Communication Majors

Experience:

Executive Director/ Lobbyist, Minnesota Association of Small Cities; Vice President, Rural Initiatives Coalition; Candidate for Representative, State Legislature, District 20A, 1992; reporter, Dassel Dispatch, St. Cloud Times

Priorities if elected:

Universal health care to provide affordable access, and choice; increase the minimum wage; target economic development; strengthen rural economy; reform and improve workers compensation; move toward full state funding for education; increased funding for Head Start, WIC, and sliding child care programs; reinstate the MEED program; fully fund STRIDE program; rely less on local property taxes and more on progressive income taxes.

Lt. Governor
JOANNE BENSON
Independent-Republican

Age:

51

Residence:

St. Cloud

Occupation:

State Senator, Associate Professor Education: Honors degree in elementary and special education from St. Cloud State University; graduate work in educational administration.

Experience:

Current: State Senator (2nd Term), and Associate Professor. Former: SCSU Alumni Associate Director, teacher, numerous community volunteer positions.

Priorities if elected:

As lieutenant governor, I would work to identify and remove artificial barriers to citizens' success, and serve as a liaison between people in Greater Minnesota and the Executive Branch (a conduit for information exchange). My priority issues are education excellence, job creation, welfare reform, taxes and spending.

Lt. Governor
TIM DAVIS
Grassroots

Age:

38

Residence:

Minneapolis

Occupation:

Forklift Operator

Education:

Former Radio Announcer; some college

Experience:

Have run a small non-profit organization for over 5 years. Ran unsuccessfully for State Rep. twice.

Priorities if elected:

Educate! The past 60 years have seen an unprecedented amount of out and out lies. We need a fresh start. Truth and use our brains to think! We must invest in sustainable forms of living. Halt the population explosion and respect person al freedom with an end to persecution of consensual activities. Vote Grassroots.

Lt. Governor
MIKE STRAND
Libertarian

Age:

31

Residence:

Oakdale

Occupation:

Factory worker, Andersen Windows Education: High School; U.S. Army Reserves (honorably discharged); self-taught in linguistics, German, and Finnish.

Experience:

Intern for Senator Gary Laidig. Legislative liaison, Lakewood Community College, Student Governing Board, Executive Board

Priorities if elected:

I will work to decentralize government and empower communities. As Lt. Governor, I want to help county and municipal governments become leaner and more efficient, so that more responsibility can be returned to the local level.

Lt. Governor
PHIL RATTÉ
Nutritional Rights Alliance

Age:

56

Residence:

Columbia Heights

Occupation:

Engineering and Management Consultant Education: Nazareth Hall; White Bear High School; St. John's University (Collegeville); U. of MN., Mechanical and Industrial Engineering; Post Graduate MBA Program, major - Marketing and Management, Minor - Finance and Accounting.

Experience:

Owned and managed small business since 1981. Experienced as manager and engineer for seven Minnesota corporations from the giant Honeywell to the tiny Nord Photo Engineering.

Priorities if elected:

Search for new ideas that will reduce pollution, improve health and nutrition and increase jobs. For example, Sonic Bloom, a Minnesota product that reduces pollution and doubles crop yields and the Water Fuel Cell, that produces hydrogen fuel from water to drive engines without pollution.

Lt. Governor
LEAH FINGER
Socialist Workers

Age:

38

Residence:

Minneapolis

Occupation:

Auto Worker Education: B.A., New York University Experience: Veteran activist in struggles for women's rights and against discrimination; labor activist in Steelworkers, Autoworkers, other unions; participant in defense of Twin Cities abortion clinics; helped collect and deliver humanitarian aid to Cuba in 1994 trip to Havana.

Priorities if elected:

As an activist in fights waged by victims of profit system for justice and dignity, I seek to build unity among working people without regard to nationality, gender or borders; to explain the need to replace current government of, by, and for the rich with one which defends rights of the working class and farmer majority.

World-Wide-Web: http://freenet.msp.mn.us:8000/govt/e-democracy/

Gopher: freenet.msp.mn.us, port 8001

Twin Cities Free-Net Main Menu/ (through these folders)

The Government Center/

The Minnesota E-Democracy Project/

E-mail Retrieval: Send an e-mail message to:

Majordomo@freenet.msp.mn.us

with the following text (case-sensitive) in the message body:

info LWV-Guide